Create and add ssh keys on new Linux install

2025-05-20

Description: This is a quick how-to for creating and adding ssh keys on a new Linux install.

When and why: I do this when I get a new Linux install, and I want to be able to ssh into my other machines without having to enter a password each time.

This is pretty simple stuff, but I do this less than once a year, so I still need a quick how-to so I don't have to "google" it each time (I don't actually use google).

SSH Key-Based Authentication on a Linux Server

  1. Create the keys.
ssh-keygen -t rsa
  1. Copy the new SSH Public Key to the remote server.

Find and copy the public key:

cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub

On the remote server:

nano ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

Paste the public key into the editor. Save. Done.

  1. Test that it works from a new terminal window, without logging out of the old one first. You never know.

← Back home